Though the bill is full of spending increases, Democrats did cut funding to the Office of Labor-Management Standards (OLMS) which investigates union corruption and fraud. The Heritage Foundation wrote about the work of the OLMS, noting “The OLMS was singled out for budget cuts because its efforts to increase union accountability and fight corruption have rankled union leaders.” Among the other problematic provisions of the Labor-HHS-Education bill is language undoing President Bush’s policy restricting further funding for embryo-destructive stem cell research.
Senate Republicans held a press conference yesterday to call for a permanent ban on Internet access taxes. Video highlights of the press conference can be found below. The current moratorium on such taxes expires Nov. 1. The House passed a temporary extension of the ban yesterday, but barred amendments that would have allowed a permanent ban.
On The Floor: Consideration of the fiscal 2008 Labor-HHS-Education appropriations bill (H.R. 3043). The Senate version of the bill provides $605.5 billion in funds, which is $9.6 billion above the president’s request.
The Senate Judiciary Committee will begin confirmation hearings on Judge Michael Mukasey to be Attorney General. The hearings could take up to three days.
Yesterday, the Senate passed the fiscal 2008 Commerce-Justice-Science (CJS) appropriations bill (H.R. 3093). Prior to final passage, a motion by Senator McConnell to return the bill to the Appropriations committee with instructions to pare the bill down by more than $4 billion was rejected 44-50. An amendment by Sen. Elizabeth Dole (R-NC) to add $75 million for state and local law enforcement to assist with the enforcement of immigration laws was defeated. Also defeated was an amendment by Sen. David Vitter (R-LA) which prohibited certain federal law enforcement funding to sanctuary cities.
In the House: Contact the House Education & Labor Committee who this week will consider the Employment Non-Discrimination Act (ENDA). If legislation passes, it will mainstream homosexuality and provide homosexual activist a legal tool for punishing employees who do not approve of their lifestyle. ENDA will force businesses to provide special employment rights to those who define themselves based on sexual behaviors and will be used by homosexual activists as a means to punish business owners who have moral and religious standards Employers' liberty to use their own good judgment regarding hiring practices will be a thing of the past. Hearings have been postponed several times in order to placate homosexual, and transgender lobbies. The new bill number is H.R. 3685; the legislation still fails to protect religious organizations or business owners.
Tags: Congressional Pork, earmarks, Employment Non-Discrimination Act, ENDA, fraud, Internet tax, La Raza, Union, US House, US Senate, Washington D.C. To share or post to your site, click on "Post Link". Please mention / link to the ARRA News Service. Thanks!
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